The original wild mango, which is still grown in India and Southeast Asia today, is a far cry from the juicy and delicious cultivated mangoes we now eat. The mango belongs to the same family as the cashew and pistachio. The tropical mango is the national fruit of India, where it was first cultivated as early as 2000 BCE. Portuguese explorers introduced the mango into Africa and Brazil in the 16th century, and mangoes were being grown in Hawaii and Florida by the 19th century.
In India mangoes are considered to be a symbol of life, and mango leaves are used for decoration in festival celebrations and weddings. Indian mango chutney is perhaps the original chutney, and has become popular worldwide.
Today India is the world’s largest producer of mangoes, with China, Thailand, Mexico and Brazil other major producers. Nutrients in Mangoes
Mangoes are an excellent source of carotenes, vitamin C, and copper. They are a very good source of B vitamins. Mangoes are a good source of vitamin E, potassium, and magnesium.
Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz) Energy 272 kJ (65 kcal) Carbohydrates 17.00 g Sugars 14.8 g Dietary fiber 1.8 g Fat 0.27 g Protein 0.51 g Vitamin A equiv. 38 μg (4%) - beta-carotene 445 μg (4%) Thiamine (Vit. B1) 0.058 mg (4%) Riboflavin (Vit. B2) 0.057 mg (4%) Niacin (Vit. B3) 0.584 mg (4%) Pantothenic acid (B5) 0.160 mg (3%) Vitamin B6 0.134 mg (10%) Folate (Vit. B9) 14 μg (4%) Vitamin C 27.7 mg (46%) Calcium 10 mg (1%) Iron 0.13 mg (1%) Magnesium 9 mg (2%) Phosphorus 11 mg (2%) Potassium 156 mg (3%) Zinc 0.04 mg (0%)